Poster clasp

ABSTRACT

A poster clasp for suspending a poster therefrom, includes a clasp assembly being formed integrally, unitarily, the clasp assembly having a support member and a hinged gripping member, the support member having a cam point formed integral with a backplate, and the hinged gripping member being rotatable between an open disposition and a closed disposition, the hinged gripping member being formed integral with a hinge, the hinge being formed of a relatively flexible material wherein the hinge and the cam point are each formed of a material having a durometer number, the durometer number of the hinge and of the cam point being substantially the same, said durometer being less than a durometer number of the backplate; and the hinged gripping member having a first leg, the first leg presenting a rounded knuckle proximate a distal end of the hinged gripping member.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 61/077,695, filed Jul. 2, 2008, and incorporated hereinin its entirety by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to devices for suspending material such asposters, signage, and the like. More particularly, the present inventionrelates to releasable clasps for grasping and suspending such material.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There is a need in the industry for devices that are capable ofreleasably grasping posters and signage for suspension thereof. Thereare a number of clasps in use for the aforementioned purposes. Amongsuch clasps are those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,899,974, 6,450,471,and 6,637,716, owned by the owner of the present application. The deviceof the present application comprises improvements to the device asdisclosed in the above noted patents.

There is a need to provide a poster clasp for which it is as comfortableas possible for the operator to shift the poster clasp from the opendisposition to the closed disposition in which a poster is compressivelyengaged with the poster clasp. Referring to the patents above, a personwishing to close the poster clasp had to press on the toe portion of thefoot 64 in order to affect closure of the poster clasp. It has beenfound that exerting such pressure on the toe portion was uncomfortablefor the person closing the poster clasp.

A further issue with the prior art poster clasps has been resistance ofthe clip receiver to passage of the clip therethrough. Such resistance,or as is primarily affected by the walls of the clip receiverfrictionally bearing on the outer margins of the T-portion of the clip.

A further need is the ability to readily join two clip assembly sectionstogether to form an extended clip assembly. Clip assemblies of this typemay be required to hold posters that are as much eight feet wide.Shipping of a clip assembly or any other device in eight foot lengthsgreatly increases shipping costs. It would be much preferable to havetwo clip assemblies of four foot lengths that are readily joinedtogether to form a clip assembly of eight foot lengths. A pair of fourfoot clip assemblies may be shipped at substantially reduced costs ascompared to an eight foot clip assembly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention substantially meets the aforementioned needs ofthe industry. The toe of the foot has affectively been reversed indirection, thereby presenting a rounded knuckle to the user when theposter clasp is in the open disposition. Exerting thumb pressure on therounded knuckle has proved to be substantially more comfortable to theuser than the prior art configuration.

A thinning groove has been defined in each of the rail walls of the railof the poster clasp. Such thinning groove effectively reduces thethickness of the rail wall adjacent to the thinning groove. In thismanner, there is notable flexibility of the respective rail wall at thethinned portion adjacent to the thinning groove allowing the rail to bespread outwardly. Such spreading provides for free passage of the eyeletassembly through the rail.

In the strengthened embodiment of the poster clasp of the presentinvention, a splint may be included. The splint may be passed into theinterior void defined by the strengthening arch of each of two posterclasps that are abutted end-to-end. In such disposition, the splintcouples the respective poster clasps with sufficient strength toadequately support the depending poster.

The present invention is a poster clasp for suspending a postertherefrom, and includes a clasp assembly being formed integrally,unitarily, the clasp assembly having a support member and a hingedgripping member, the support member having a cam point formed integralwith a backplate, and the hinged gripping member being rotatable betweenan open disposition and a closed disposition, the hinged gripping memberbeing formed integral with a hinge, the hinge being formed of arelatively flexible material wherein the hinge and the cam point areeach formed of a material having a durometer number, the durometernumber of the hinge and of the cam point being substantially the same,said durometer being less than a durometer number of the backplate; andthe hinged gripping member having a first leg, the first leg presentinga rounded knuckle proximate a distal end of the hinged gripping member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an end elevational depiction of a poster clasp of the presentinvention in the open disposition;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational depiction of the poster clasp of FIG. 1 inthe closed, grasping disposition;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational depiction of the poster clasp of FIG. 1with the rounded knuckle presented to the finger of a user;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of a poster clasp with an alternativeembodiment of the compression foot;

FIG. 5 is an end elevational view of a strengthened poster clasp with acoupling splint in place;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a coupling splint; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the eyelet assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The poster clasp of the present invention is shown generally at 10 inthe depictions. Poster clasp 10 has two major subassemblies; thesuspension assembly 12 and the clasp assembly 14. It should be notedthat the poster clasp 10 is a unitary, integral design preferably formedin a single extruding operation.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the suspension assembly 12 includes a clipreceiver 22. The clip receiver 22 includes a rail 32, the rail 32defining an interior space. A slot 34 extends into the rail 32 and isdefined between two opposed flanges 35. The flanges 35 are preferablyformed integral with a respective rail wall 36 at a preferred rightangle therewith. Each of the respective rail walls 36 is operablycoupled to a substantially transverse rail base 37. Each of therespective rail walls 36 includes an interiorally defined thinninggroove 38 that is defined approximately midway between the respectiveflange 35 and the rail base 37. The thinning groove 38 effectivelyreduces the thickness of the respective rail wall 36 adjacent to thethinning groove 38 to define a point of flexure in the respective railwall 36.

Referring to FIG. 4, the suspension assembly 12 may include an eyeletassembly 20. The eyelet assembly 20 has an eye 22 defined in apreferably arched upright 24. The arched upright 24 is formed integralwith a transversely disposed base 26.

In operation, the eyelet assembly 20 is slid into the rail 32 with thearched upright 24 projecting through the slot 34. The thinning of therespective rail walls 36 effected by the respective thinning grooves 38permits the respective rail walls 36 to flex at the thinning effectedproximate the thinning groove 38 and be rotated outward as indicated bythe flex arrows 30. Such rotation provides for readily admitting thebase 26 of the eyelet assembly 20 into the confines of the rail 32 andto be readily slid through the rail 32 to a desired disposition forhanging a poster.

Turning to the description of the clasp assembly 14 of the poster clasp10, the clasp assembly 14 has two subcomponents; support member 40 andhinged gripping member 42. The support member 40 of the clasp assembly14 includes a back plate 44 that forms a juncture 45 at a proximal endthereof with the rail base 37 and a rail wall 36, the rail base 37 beingdisposed transverse to the back plate 44. The back plate 44 has an outermargin 44 a and an opposed inner margin 44 b.

A raised ramp or cam point 48 is formed on the inner margin 44 b. Thecam point 48 preferably extends the full length dimension of the posterclasp 10 and may have less height and greater width than as depicted inFIGS. 1 and 2. The cam point 48 is preferably coextruded with theextrusion that forms the poster clasp 10. The material forming the campoint 48 is generally softer and more compressible (has a lesserdurometer number) than the material forming the rest of the poster clasp10, which is preferably substantially rigid.

A generally arcuate hinge support 54 forms a juncture at a proximal endthereof with the rail base 37 and the second of the rail walls 36. Thehinge support 54 includes a strengthening rib 56 formed proximate thedistal end of the hinge support 54.

A preferably arched hinge 58 is operably coupled to the distal end ofthe hinge support 54. The hinge 58 is further operably coupled to thehinged gripping member 42 at a knee 59 thereof. In such manner, thehinge 58 shiftably couples the hinged gripping member 42 to the hingesupport 54 of the support member 40. Preferably, the hinge 58 is formedof the same material as that of cam point 48 and, like the cam point 48,is coextruded with the rest of the poster clasp 10 and has a durometernumber similar to that of the cam point 48, thereby making the hinge 58relatively flexible.

The hinged gripping member 42 has a first leg 60 extending from the knee59. The distal end of the first leg 60 includes a rounded knuckle 62that transitions into a foot 64. The foot 64 has an arch 66 formedtherein and terminates with a rounded toe 68.

A second leg 70 of the hinged gripping member 42 is coupled to the firstleg 60 at the knee 59 at an interior angle that is less than 180 degreesand greater than 90 degrees. The second leg 70 terminates in an arcuatecompression foot 72. The compression foot 72 has an outer posterengaging surface 76. The poster engaging surface 76 is preferably acontinuous curved surface extending from the heel 78 of the compressionfoot 72 to the upturned toe 80 of the compression foot 72. It is theposter engaging surface 76 that first engages a poster that is slidalong the inner margin 44b beneath the poster engaging surface 76, asdepicted in FIG. 1. As the gripping member 42 is rotated from the opendisposition of FIG. 1 to the closed disposition of FIG. 2, the posterengaging surface maintains constant contact with the advancing posterand ultimately holds the poster in compressive engagement between theposter engaging surface 76 that is proximate the toe 80 and the campoint 48.

Referring to FIG. 3, a user seeking to grasp a poster within the posterclasp 10 first exerts pressure on the rounded knuckle 62, therebycausing the gripping member 42 to shift from the disposition of FIG. 1to the disposition of FIG. 2. The rounded knuckle 62 presents acomfortable surface upon which a user may apply pressure as depicted inFIG. 3. It is understood that the poster is readily removed from theposter clasp 10 by simply reversing the closing action of the grippingmember 42, thereby releasing the compressive force that holds the posterin place.

An alternative embodiment of the compression foot 72 is depicted in FIG.4. In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the poster engaging surface 76 iscomprised of two generally planar surfaces that are joined at a break 82to form an included angle that is something that is slightly less than180 degrees.

As depicted in FIGS. 5 and 6, a strengthened version of the poster clasp10 is presented. Such a device is used primarily to hang very largeposters. In order to effect this, the rail 32 is approximately twice thelateral dimension of the rail 32 discussed above. This is affected byforming an elongated rail base 37 in the manner of a T with a back plate44. A strengthening arch 86 forms a juncture 88 with the extended railbase 37 and a rail wall 36. The strengthening arch 86 generally has thesame shape as the hinge support 54, the hinge 58, and the first leg 60of the gripping member 42 when the gripping member 42 is in the closeddisposition. An interior void 90 is formed between the inner margin ofthe strengthening arch 86 and the outer margin 44 a of the back plate44.

A splint 96 may be partially inserted into the interior void 90 of afirst strengthened poster clasp 10 that is then abutted to a secondstrengthened poster clasp 10 to effect a union between the first andsecond poster clasps 10. Preferably, a first side margin 98 of thesplint 96 is housed in the angle defined by the interior corner 94 ofthe rail base 37 and the back plate 44. The second side margin 100 ofthe splint 96 is captured in the crook 92 formed proximate the distalend of the strengthening arch 86. Preferably, the splint 96 is partiallyinserted into the interior void 90 of a first poster clasp 10 up toapproximately the midpoint 102 and the remaining half of the splint 96is inserted into the interior void 90 of the second poster clasp 10, thefirst and second poster clasps 10 then being pushed together into anabutting disposition, capturing half of the splint 96 in the firstposter clasp 10 and the second half of the splint 96 in the secondposter clasp 10, thereby effecting coupling of the two poster clasps 10.

While the preferred embodiment of the present invention has beenillustrated and described herein, it is to be understood that theinvention is not limited to the precise construction so illustrated anddescribed. Accordingly, it is intended that the scope of the presentinvention be dictated by the scope of the appended claims and not by thedescription of the preferred embodiment.

1. A poster clasp for suspending a poster therefrom, comprising: a claspassembly being formed integrally, unitarily, the clasp assembly having asupport member and a hinged gripping member, the support member having acam point formed integral with a backplate, and the hinged grippingmember being rotatable between an open disposition and a closeddisposition, the hinged gripping member being formed integral with ahinge, the hinge being formed of a relatively flexible material whereinthe hinge and the cam point are each formed of a material having adurometer number, the durometer number of the hinge and of the cam pointbeing substantially the same, said durometer being less than a durometernumber of the backplate; and the hinged gripping member having a firstleg, the first leg presenting a rounded knuckle proximate a distal endof the hinged gripping member.
 2. The poster clasp of claim 1, therounded knuckle for being engaged by a user in effecting shifting theclasp assembly from the open disposition to the closed disposition. 3.The poster clasp of claim 2, the rounded knuckle supporting the distalend of the hinged gripping member, the distal end being a foot having anarch and a rounded toe.
 4. The poster clasp of claim 1, including asuspension assembly, the suspension assembly having an eyelet receiver,the eyelet receiver having a rail, the rail being defined in part by twoopposed rail walls, each of the respective rail walls having a thinninggroove defined therein.
 5. The poster clasp of claim 4, the thinninggroove acting to introduce an area of flexure in the respective railwall.
 6. The poster clasp of claim 5, the respective rail walls beingreadily outwardly spreadable for readily accommodating disposing aneyelet assembly in the rail.
 7. The poster clasp of claim 1, furthercomprising a strengthening arch disposed on a side of the back plateopposing hinged gripping member, the strengthening arch defining aninterior void.
 8. The poster clasp of claim 7, further comprising asplint, the splint for releasably coupling a pair of abutted claspassemblies.
 9. The poster clasp of claim 8, the splint being disposablein the interior void defined by the strengthening arch.
 10. The posterclasp of claim 9, the splint being disposed in the interior void with afirst side margin residing in an interior corner formed at the junctureof the back plate and a rail base and a second side margin residing in acrook defined in the interior of the strengthening arch.
 11. The posterclasp of claim 10, the crook being defined opposing a rounded knuckle.12. A poster clasp for suspending a poster therefrom, comprising: claspassembly means for selectively, compressively engaging the poster, theclasp assembly means being formed integrally, unitarily, the claspassembly means having support member means and hinged gripping membermeans, the support member means for having a cam point formed integralwith a backplate, and the hinged gripping member meand for beingrotatable between an open disposition and a closed disposition, thehinged gripping member means being formed integral with hinge means, thehinge means for being formed of a relatively flexible material whereinthe hinge means and the cam point are each formed of a material having adurometer number, the durometer number of the hinge means and of the campoint being substantially the same, said durometer being less than adurometer number of the backplate; and the hinged gripping member meanshaving a first leg, the first leg presenting a rounded knuckle meansproximate a distal end of the hinged gripping member, the roundedknuckle means for being engaged by a user in exerting a force on thehinged gripping means.
 13. The poster clasp of claim 12, the roundedknuckle means for being engaged by a user in effecting shifting theclasp assembly means from the open disposition to the closeddisposition.
 14. The poster clasp of claim 13, the rounded knuckle meansfor supporting the distal end of the hinged gripping member means, thedistal end being a foot having an arch and a rounded toe.
 15. The posterclasp of claim 12, including suspension assembly means, the suspensionassembly means having eyelet receiver means for slidably receiving aneyelet assembly, the eyelet receiver means having a rail, the rail beingdefined in part by two opposed rail walls, each of the respective railwalls having a thinning groove defined therein.
 16. The poster clasp ofclaim 15, the thinning groove acting to introduce an area of flexure inthe respective rail wall.
 17. The poster clasp of claim 16, therespective rail walls being readily outwardly spreadable for readilyaccommodating disposing the eyelet assembly in the rail.
 18. The posterclasp of claim 12, further comprising strengthening arch means disposedon a side of the back plate opposing the hinged gripping member means,the strengthening arch means defining an interior void.
 19. The posterclasp of claim 18, further comprising splint means, the splint means forreleasably coupling a pair of abutted clasp assembly means.
 20. Theposter clasp of claim 19, the splint means being disposable in theinterior void defined by the strengthening arch means.
 21. The posterclasp of claim 20, the splint means being disposed in the interior voidwith a first side margin residing in an interior corner formed at thejuncture of the back plate and a rail base and a second side marginresiding in a crook defined in the interior of the strengthening archmeans.
 22. The poster clasp of claim 10, the crook being definedopposing a rounded knuckle.